Price still king for tomatoes

Matthew Jones of Reynolds presented a presentation about the company and the trends in tomatoes duri…

Matthew Jones of Reynolds presented a presentation about the company and the trends in tomatoes during the Tomato Conference in April. According to Jones the price is still king for foodservice customers when it comes to tomatoes. “Yet we also notice that flavour, quality and colour are becoming more important.”

Keep innovating
The United Kingdom has approximately 6 months of own tomato production, and the rest of the year they are dependent on import. Reynolds offers an assortment of 21 types of tomatoes. They also do research into new and special strains – such as heirloom, vine specialties and cherry tomatoes – with cultivators. Reynolds anticipates demand of the customers. “Customers expect to be able to choose based on flavour or season, for example. It is important for the tomato sector to keep innovating.”

Less types of loose tomatoes
“Less types of loose tomatoes end up in the assortment, and the segments of vine tomatoes are growing. The interest in beefsteak tomatoes is also growing in the UK.” Reynolds is a well-known fresh produce supplier in the UK. The company supplies to both foodservice and wholesaler’s markets. The assortment contains more than 3,000 different products, both fresh and processed. Reynolds is a family company and has more than 70 years of experience in the sector.